Sextus
'''Sextus '''is the twelve-year old son of a man and a woman. His mother is dead, and his father is currently in Asia and so he is temporarily being raised by Gaius Cornelius Calvus and Aurelia, making him the step brother of Marcus and Cornelia. He is friends with Marcus but is disliked by Cornelia and Davus because they consider him annoying and, in the latter's case, is an interference to his work. He lived in Pompeii before the city, along with his mother, was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Biography Living in Pompeii Prior to its destruction by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 ADPompeii was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius a year before Ecce Romani I is set according to the opening to Ecce Romani 1, which is 80 AD according to the opening to Ecce Romani I., Sextus lived in Pompeii with his mother and presumably his father. His mother died in the eruption, and his father was sent to serve as a soldier in Asia Minor some time later, and therefore placed Sextus in the care of his friend, Gaius Cornelius Calvus.Roman Life I of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Playing in the garden In 80 ADEcce Romani I is set in 80 AD according to the opening to Ecce Romani I., Sextus was 12 years old, and Davus was working alone in the garden of the Cornelii estate, while Sextus, along with Marcus, was shouting and running in the garden, which angered him. Suddenly, a statute fell into the fishpond, which Marcus and Sextus laughed about. Davus shouted at them and angrily ran toward the fishpond while they ran out of the garden. Davus then groaned.Chapter III of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Annoying Cornelia One day, Cornelia was sleeping under a tree and Sextus saw her and stealthily approached. He climbed up the tree she was sleeping under and shouted loudly, which Cornelia heard but she did not see Sextus, which scared her. Marcus then ran toward the tree and shouted for Sextus to climb down. Sextus replied by asking why Marcus wasn't climbing the tree, and saying that he, Sextus, was afraid of nothing. Marcus replied telling Sextus to be careful and that the branch he was sitting on was weak, and Sextus then fell out of the tree and Marcus and Cornelia laughed at him.Chapter IV of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Cornelia and Flavia are frightened by a wolf One warm day, Cornelia and Flavia walked out of the garden into the forest and sat under a tree near a river because it was cold. After sitting down, Flavia asked why Marcus did not want to climb trees, suggesting the reason was cowardice. Cornelia responded that he was not cowardly and asked her why she did not like him. Flavia responded that he was always worried, while Sextus was never scared. Suddenly they saw a wolf going into the river, which terrified them. They immediately shouted for Marcus and Sextus to bring help. They heard them and immediately ran towards them. The wolf could now see them. Sextus, who was scared of the wolf, immediately climbed up a tree, while Marcus grabbed and a stick and drove the wolf off. Cornelia and Flavia ran out of the forest and arrived at the Cornelii estate. When Marcus arrived shortly after, they happily greeted him, but Sextus was still sitting in the tree because he was afraid to climb down.Chapter V of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Gaius Cornelius Calvus is summoned to Rome One day, while Gaius Cornelius Calvus was sitting alone in the Cornelii house because he wanted to write several letters, Sextus, along with Marcus and Cornelia, were wandering in the fields and watching numerous slaves working. Suddenly they spotted a messenger who was approaching them. He greeted Marcus and Sextus, the former of which asked him who he was looking for. He responded that he was looking for Cornelius. Marcus explained that he was in the house and led him there. After arriving at the house, Cornelius immediately greeted the messenger, who gave him a letter. Cornelius read the letter and, to his dismay, learned that the Emperor had recalled all of the Senators because he wanted to consult with them, and that he must leave for Rome. This excited Sextus because wanted to visit Roma, but disappointed Cornelia because Flavia was not able to come with them.Chapter VII of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Departing for Rome Afterward, although it was yet light, Aurelia was working in the Cornelii house. She was angry because she was saw slaves sitting, and asked them why they were not working, and explained that they all had to work because they were leaving for Rome that day. Aurelia then tried to wake up Marcus and Sextus, and, after failing to wake up Marcus, walked into Sextus's bedroom and ordered him to get up. He immediately did and quickly put on his clothes and ran out of his bedroom.Chapter VII of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Later, while slaves were loading the Cornelii's luggage onto their carriage, Sextus, along with Marcus, were wearing tunics and toga praetextas because in the city children were accustomed to wearing such attire. Geta then grabbed Sextus's chest and threw it into the carriage, worrying Sextus and prompting him to shout at him to be careful and to not throw his chest. After all of their luggage had been loading into the carriage, Sextus, along with Marcus, Eucleides, Aurelia, and, while helping to spur on the horses, Syrus climbed into it with Gaius's help. Suddenly Aurelia asked where Cornelia was, who ran into the road at that exact moment. Gaius ordered her into the carriage immediately. Syrus spurred on the horses immediately afterward, and they all departed.Chapter X of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. The Cornelii's carriage wrecks Afterward, the Cornelii's carriage was traveling along the Appian Way toward Rome. Because Cornelius wanted to reach Rome in three days, Syrus was continuously spurring on the horses by beating them with a stick. While the carriage was going along the road, Aurelia and Cornelia were watching peasants working in the fields, and Marcus and Sextus were watching all of the carriages traveling along the road. Later, when it was the seventh day, which was warm, peasants were no longer working in the fields but were resting under the trees, and Aurelia and Cornelius were sleeping in the carriage. Sextus was sitting with Syrus while Marcus was annoying Cornelia with his foot while she was trying to sleep. Suddenly, Sextus yelled to Marcus that there was a charioteer. Marcus loudly responded that Sextus was an idiot, that it was not a charioteer but a courier who was delivering distinguished citizens' letters to the city, and that couriers always travel quickly because they have to deliver letters all over Italy. Sextus then shouted a remark about how quickly they were traveling and that the horses were being ferociously being spurred on. He then shouted to Syrus to be careful of a courier, to hold the horses, and then shouted multiple times for him to beware the ditch. Syrus held the horses and avoided the courier, but the carriage fell into the ditch with a loud crash.Chapter XIII of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. Traits This section needs further information. Relationships Cornelia Cornelia is Sextus's step sister dislikes him because she finds him annoying and because he plays jokes on her. Davus Davus is Gaius Cornelius's slave and he dislikes Sextus because he constantly interferes with his work, such as when he and Marcus were running and shouting in the garden of the Cornelii estate while he was trying to work in it. Marcus Marcus and Sextus are friends and step brothers. Sextus's mother Sextus's mother is the deceased mother of Sextus.Chapter XVI of the fourth edition of Ecce Romani I. References Category:Characters